Socio-economic gradient in food selection and diet quality among 70-year olds

• OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess social disparities in food choices and diet quality in a population of 70-year old Swedes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study among participants in the 2000 Gerontological and Geriatric Population Studies in Goteborg. PARTICIPANTS: A representative population of men (n=233) and women (n=321) from Goteborg, a city on the south western coast of Sweden. METHODS: One hour diet history interviews were performed and 35 specific foods and food groups were identified; in addition a diet quality index (DQI) was calculated. Differences in food choices and diet quality scores were tested across educational and socio-economic index categories (SEI). RESULTS: Men with higher education and SEI had higher diet quality scores than those with lower socio-economic status, while no differences in DQI were noted in women. Further analysis of women based on their husband's occupational group also yielded no differences in diet quality. When studying individual foods, socio-economic differences were observed in women and men. CONCLUSIONS: Selection of food varies by education and occupational status in both sexes although socio-economic disparities in diet quality were observed in men only.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Näringslära (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nutrition and Dietetics (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Activities of Daily Living

Aged

Confidence Intervals

Cross-Sectional Studies

Diet

psychology

standards

Educational Status

Female

Food Habits

Food Preferences

psychology

Humans

Male

Nutrition Surveys

Odds Ratio

Sex Distribution

Socioeconomic Factors

Sweden

diet quality index

education

elderly

nutrition

socio-economic status

Diet Quality Index

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)